Gracie Barra – Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – Martial Arts – Jiu-Jitsu for everyone – Master Carlos Gracie Jr.Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone2017-12-11T18:31:09Zhttp://graciebarra.com/feed/atom/WordPressDionathan Santoshttp://graciebarra.com/?p=291652017-12-11T18:31:09Z2017-12-11T18:31:09ZThis week on GB Blog we are going to take a look at the idea of technique sequences. Jiu-jitsu has a hierarchy of positions and your task is to control and progress from lesser to more dominant positions leading to submission.

One top jiu-jitsu instructor said that the perfect jiu-jitsu match was 9 points:
2 points for the takedown
3 points for passing the guard
4 points for mount or rear mount
Match ending submission!

If we see this as a sequence of positions and advancing to the submission finish, we have a more clear understanding of all of the tools and techniques we need to overcome an opponent in a sequence.

Gracie Barra is a Global Jiu-Jitsu Team. Our community of instructors, students and athletes is built by over 700 schools in the five continents. Since 1986 Gracie Barra has been shattering records, innovating and contributing to the expansion and professionalization of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

This week 12/10 – 12/16 our classes are based on Week 10 of the curriculum.

At Gracie Barra we are united and teach Jiu-Jitsu as a means of personal development and have guided the day-to-day according to the lifestyle of Jiu-Jitsu, with attitudes that reflect the values learned through studies on the mat.

The progress of a person in Jiu-Jitsu is a result of the dominance of these principles and it is natural that the student begins to see extreme changes in their life. The gentle art style is based on the fundamental principle of balance, control, efficiency, effectiveness, adaptation, mutual support and action of levers. During practice, the student is constantly making use of these principles to perform a desired goal.

Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone!

To stay connected to Gracie Barra please make sure and visit us
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]]>0Dionathan Santoshttp://graciebarra.com/?p=291402017-12-07T18:06:16Z2017-12-07T18:06:16ZA Gracie Barra Blog reader messaged me and had the following question : “Hi, I’ve been training a little over a year. I heard that the best way to get really good at jiu-jitsu is to train mostly with higher belts and get smashed all the time. Is that the best way to get better fast?”

I’ve heard this philosophy before and while you certainly will gain experience rolling with training partners who are better than you, but i would not say it is the BEST way.

I have found it helpful to look at it this way : You need 3 types of training partners for optimal training:
1) Training partners who are lower level than you.
2) Training partners who are of a similar level to you.
3) Training partners who have a higher level than you.

1) Lower level training partners will allow you to control the roll and work your offense. Against the higher belts you are unlikely to be able to get any dominant positions and have any chance at all to try your attacks.

TIP : Pick an attack that you would like to improve in your game and limit your attack to ONLY that submission against your less experienced opponent. This will give you a focus for your training. Secondly, when your opponent catches on to your tactics, they will defend strongly and challenge your skill in.setting it up.

The greatest jiu-jitsu competitor of all time Roger Gracie moved from Gracie Barra in Rio de Janeiro to London, England to teach jiu-jitsu – leaving behind his black belt training partners. Yet, he found a way to stay sharp and develop his jiu-jitsu by training primarily with his less experienced students.

2) Similar level
These training partners will provide the best workout for your rolls. Since you are so evenly matched, neither person will be able to maintain dominant position for long. There will be many exchanges of positions.

Top and bottom, attacking and escaping, these rolls are a dog fight for every inch or advantage. Unless your your technique is precise, they will counter and your are back fighting for position. These rolls will tax your cardio and grip strength!

Rolling against someone of comprable level will provide a great workout.

3) Higher level
You are going to be on the defensive for much of the roll. Your reaction time will have to be much faster. You will have to rely on your counters and knowledge and escapes.

Your brain will have to identify situations much more quickly. Rolling with a higher belt is akin to learning to speak a new language and the other person is speaking rapidly. Got brain struggles to keep up.

Being tested in this way will make you sharper, but more concentrated on the defensive aspects. You need partners of more equal skill level to train the other positions.

So we see that we can improve our jiu-jitsu by rolling with everyone at the academy.

Gracie Barra is a Global Jiu-Jitsu Team. Our community of instructors, students and athletes is built by over 700 schools in the five continents. Since 1986 Gracie Barra has been shattering records, innovating and contributing to the expansion and professionalization of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

This week 12/3 – 11/10 our classes are based on Week 9 of the curriculum.

At Gracie Barra we are united and teach Jiu-Jitsu as a means of personal development and have guided the day-to-day according to the lifestyle of Jiu-Jitsu, with attitudes that reflect the values learned through studies on the mat.

The progress of a person in Jiu-Jitsu is a result of the dominance of these principles and it is natural that the student begins to see extreme changes in their life. The gentle art style is based on the fundamental principle of balance, control, efficiency, effectiveness, adaptation, mutual support and action of levers. During practice, the student is constantly making use of these principles to perform a desired goal.

Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone!

To stay connected to Gracie Barra please make sure and visit us
on our social media channels:

GB Virtual Headquarters

GB Facebook

GB Twitter

10Youtube: gb72videos

Instagram: graciebarra

Google+

]]>0Dionathan Santoshttp://graciebarra.com/?p=290962017-11-30T04:27:08Z2017-11-30T04:27:08ZGracie Barra recognizes the Gracie Barra Women training in GB academies all over the world.

In a series of articles on Graciebarra.com, we feature some high level women GB Professors who share their experiences and talk about the role that jiu-jitsu plays in their lives.

This week GB features Prof. Jessica Oliveira of Gracie Barra in Glendale, California.

1) Can you tell the Gracie Barra readers a little about your background?Where are you from and how did you get started in training jiu-jitsu?

Yes I can. I am from the state of Amazonas, Brazil. I started jiu-jitsu through Sensei Henrique Machado. At that time I was training wrestling in his gym under José Falabella Neto.

2) What do you say to women who ask you about trying jiu-jitsu classes?How do you see jiu-jitsu improving the life of women who train?

I always encourage women to try jiu jitsu. Most people, especially women are intimidated at first. So I let them know that it is an art that allows you tonteias your mind and forget about normal stresses of everyday life. It really can change your life.Jiu jitsu builds confidence in a unique was and thrusts very empowering for women.

3) What is the biggest obstacle that you had to overcome in your training?How did you overcome it?Are there any unique challenges that a female Bjj student faces?

My biggest obstacle was that I had no confidence in myself. I overcame that by training more and more and never giving up. Every woman is different and has different challenges. Some women do not trust themselves or others. Some women do not feel comfortable training with men. And there are many different challengers for all types of people. This is what make jiu jitsu so great. It gives people he power to overcome so many different challenges. This will most definitely improve their lives and their lifestyles.

4) What is the place of jiu-jitsu in your life?How do the lessons from the mat apply to your life outside of the academy?

Jiu Jitsu changed my life completely. I left everything and everyone in my life in Brazil to move to America. It was very challenging and scary. I wasn’t sure how it would work out, but I did it for my passion of the art. I love Jiu Jitsu and I have no regrets in my journey. I love, breathe, sleep, and wake to jitsu. Everything in my life is related to jiu jitsu. I have a well balanced life and a hard working attitude. I never give up. These are some of the characteristics that I have gained from jiu jitsu.

5)What is the single best piece of training advice that someone gave you about jiu-jitsu?

My best advice came from my Sensei Henrique Machado. He believed in me since the beginning when I was a brand new white belt.

He always advised me to be dedicated, focused and loyal to everything I did. Today I am grateful to all the councils that he gave me. My goal is to pass on as much of the lessons I learned from him, to my students. If I accomplish his goal, I know I will change many lives for the better.

]]>0Dionathan Santoshttp://graciebarra.com/?p=290922017-11-29T22:25:39Z2017-11-29T22:25:39ZProf. Ricardo Almeida – a former UFC fighter and MMA competitor who runs a successful academy in the USA – believes that parents should ask themselves different questions about the potential benefits of their children joining jiu–jitsu classes.

“For any parent asking “Why should I enroll my kids in jiu–jitsu?” That is the wrong question to ask.”

“The actual question should be “My child is having problems making friends at school. My child is being bullied at school. My child’s motor skills are not where they shouldn’t be. Or my son is maybe too timid. My son had problems with focus. With self disciplining himself to do homework”. ”

GB blog asked Prof. Fabio Villela about what kind of positive feedback have you heard from parents whose children have started jiu–jitsu?

Prof. Fabio Villela “The 1st biggest change usually is at school and inside their homes.
At school they get better grades, don’t get in trouble and be more respectful with teachers and friends.
At home they listen more to their parents and are more respectful with siblings.”

How Do Children Benefit From Jiu–jitsu?

Prof Felipe Guedes loves teaching the kidsjiu–jitsu program at his GracieBarra school and shares his philosophy on how children can benefit from training jiu–jitsu.

GB: Many parents are aware that enrolling their children in a martial arts program can help instill confidence, discipline, cooperation with others and respect in young people.
What do you feel are the primary benefits forkids to be regularly attending jiu–jitsu classes?

Prof. Felipe Guedes: I’ve been teaching martial arts forkids since 2008, to hundreds of families. And I’ve seeing Jiujitsu helping their kidsin so many ways!
Every child is different and we use JiuJitsu to benefits each child the best way as possible. Some kids are in one side of the spectrum being very shy, for those the first benefits that the parents notice is the level of confidence becoming higher, they start to understand what they are capable of and not allowing anyone to take advantage of them and being comfortable on their own skin and even helping them to be more decisive and confident to make decisions.
Their abilities to interact socially with other kids improve so much, and they are not afraid anymore of looking others in the eyes when having a conversation and having to even speak in public.

Now for the other side of the spectrum, we see very physical and aggressive kids, learning how to control themselves, respect authority, and follow rules. They become more gentle with others and normally great leaders among their friends.
So, we work on finding the healthy balance between building them up or mellowing them down.

Now to finish your question, commitment is a extremely important factor in martial arts, and one of the first things we learn as a student or either a parent, nothing happens over night, the day by day team work between parents and Coaches will have a positive impact into the future of our kids.
And consistent training is irreplaceable, always not forcing, but reinforcing to our kids why is so important to train Jiujitsu and how much they have improved, recognizing their hard work.
This seems obvious, but I have to admit that today’s culture is a culture of instant gratification, where everyone wants things now, now, now! But only the ones that are willing to work hard with consistency will achieve the results.

Q: What advice do you have for parents who are thinking of starting their children in jiu–jitsu classes?

Prof. Felipe Guedes: Please don’t think twice! Give your child a chance! They will thank you for the rest of their lives!
Call the GB school near by and schedule a class, they can come and try a class for a couple of times and then make it a better educated decision on what we have to offer.
The professors want to understand how JiuJitsu can help your child and work from there.
If your child is super shy, you can also bring him/her to the school and watch a class from the sidelines first.
Have fun!!!

Gracie Barra is a Global Jiu-Jitsu Team. Our community of instructors, students and athletes is built by over 700 schools in the five continents. Since 1986 Gracie Barra has been shattering records, innovating and contributing to the expansion and professionalization of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

This week 11/26 – 11/02 our classes are based on Week 8 of the curriculum.

At Gracie Barra we are united and teach Jiu-Jitsu as a means of personal development and have guided the day-to-day according to the lifestyle of Jiu-Jitsu, with attitudes that reflect the values learned through studies on the mat.

The progress of a person in Jiu-Jitsu is a result of the dominance of these principles and it is natural that the student begins to see extreme changes in their life. The gentle art style is based on the fundamental principle of balance, control, efficiency, effectiveness, adaptation, mutual support and action of levers. During practice, the student is constantly making use of these principles to perform a desired goal.

Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone!

To stay connected to Gracie Barra please make sure and visit us
on our social media channels:

GB Virtual Headquarters

GB Facebook

GB Twitter

10Youtube: gb72videos

Instagram: graciebarra

Google+

]]>0GB Adminhttp://i2ivision.nethttp://graciebarra.com/?p=275632017-11-24T13:38:33Z2017-11-24T19:39:54ZBullying seems to play a part in almost everyone’s life at some point. Even middle-aged adults can easily recall an incident when they were bullied as a child. With so many sharing in this unpleasant experience, teaching tools to stop bullying behavior is imperative. As a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Rafael Jovet-Ramos recognizes that skills developed in the discipline can also be helpful in dealing with bully behavior. Even having just a few strategies can help arm a child when encountering bullies:

Show Strength By Being Assertive

Bullies are aggressive, and one way to counter that behavior is by being assertive. Kids can show assertiveness by looking at the aggressor right in the eye and speaking with a strong, confident voice. These actions demonstrate strength, showing the bully that they do not hold all the power. Using assertive phrases when challenged by a bully is also a show of strength; having just a few, such as “you aren’t going to have many friends if you act like that” or simply, ‘that’s mean,” can make a big difference.

Encourage Kids to Share With Trusted Adults

Bullies thrive on making others feel powerless. One of the ways to challenge that behavior is for a child to seek help from an adult. Bullies who realize that their victim has the strength to reach out and ask for help lose their power to bully. Kids who enlist the help of adults bring attention to often unknown situations.

Over the last several years I’ve had the opportunity to interview multiple black belts from Gracie Barra. From World Champions of jiu-jitsu all the way to instructors starting new academies in different parts of the globe.

Certain common themes emerge from the different conversations revealing the mind set of those students of jiu-jitsu who began at white belt and persevered all the way to black belt and beyond.

1) A love of jiu-jitsu

Again and again the various black belts expressed a love for training. For being in.the academy around friends who shared the same love for jiu-jitsu. There is a joy of sharing the art with new students and creating new training partners and friends.

Prof. Randall Huot : “I try to make them aware that jiu-jitsu is a lifestyle and philosophy that will change their lives in profound ways, and not just in regards to physical health. Yes, jiu-jitsu will get you in great shape, but more importantly you will acquire a skill set that has been shown to have real-world applications and that will foster a confidence and sense of self-worth that you just can’t get from a membership to a gym. “

No challenging pursuit is without its obstacles. Jiu-jitsu is no different. Going to the academy through periods of both ups and downs requires more than just a desire for the next belt. They love practicing the art and being at the academy.

2) Positive self belief

“Leave your ego at the door” is an axiom in jiu-jitsu. It is good advice because your ego is going to be tested! Your resolve to overcome obstacles in training is going to be key to your perseverance over your bjj career.

Preparing for a high level competition, trying to learn advanced positions and go to a higher level in your jiu-jitsu require a positive mindset to tackle something that is currently beyond your reach.

Positive mind set is about setting higher and higher goals and working through the inevitable difficulties with the reward at the end.

A great example of a positive mind set is Lucio “Lagarto” Rodrigues is overcame a cancer diagnosis to return to world level competition.

GB : A few years ago, you successfully overcame cancer and returned to training and competition.Can you tell us about that experience and what it taught you about your life?

Lagarto : “That cancer just knocked on the wrong door ;)) I didn’t change anything in the lifestyle Carlos Gracie Jr taught me. I looked at it as a challenge I had to overcome.It’s funny to say it, but it was a very good experience, things I learned I would not have learned in any other circumstances. Appreciate every second as your last in every little detail, life becomes so beautiful.”

3) Be humble and open to new learning

Gracie Barra offers an annual Instructor Certification Program ICP where top professors from around the GB network share their experiences. I was at first surprised at how many of the instructors like Draculino from GB Texas made the point about being open to new information and continuing your learning throughout your jiu-jitsu career.

GB: How do you feel about the current popular sports bjj strategies that emphasize positions like berimbolo, inverted guard and lapel guard?

Professor Draculino: ” I am more in favour of the evolution.
I actually like and appreciate the new techniques such as inverted guard, berimbolo, and lapel guard. They are all good.

I don’t have anything against them. I think that it is part of the evolution of the sport.
I think that hey need to be taught, they need to be understood. Even if you want to defend against them.

When you mind is closed you are shut off to new information and continued growth. ”

If Gracie Barra professors with 20+ years of experience are open to new information, we would do well to follow their example.